Putin warns that Russia has nuclear weapons that can evade defense systems

Russian President Vladimir Putin touted his nation’s nuclear arsenal in his state of the nation speech Thursday, warning the U.S. that Russia now has nuclear weapons that can get around defense systems.

The Russian president’s speech was interspersed with video of his nation’s weaponry, including underwater drones, a hypersonic system that “heads for its target like a meteorite” and intercontinental missiles.

Relations between the U.S. and Russia have deteriorated badly over the past several years in the wake of an effort by former President Barack Obama to reset relations between the former Cold War rivals. Most recently, Russia has been accused of mounting a campaign to interfere in the 2016 presidential election with the intention of sowing doubt in the U.S. political system and aiding the candidacy of President Donald Trump.

The two nations have also been at odds over the ongoing civil war in Syria, where Russia backs the government of Bashar Assad and the U.S. backs certain rebel groups.

Putin, in his speech on Thursday, said Russia had warned the U.S. not to move forward with anti-missile systems that the Kremlin worried would blunt its nuclear deterrent. “Nobody listened to us. Listen now,” he said.

The White House responded Thursday afternoon that the Trump administration will protect the U.S and "preserve peace."

"Russia’s been developing destabilizing weapon systems for over a decade in direct violation of its treaty obligations," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. "U.S. defense capabilities are and will remain second to none.”